FIND families demand justice on Holy Wednesday

Members of the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) gathered on Holy Wednesday to remember their missing loved ones and renew their call for truth, justice, and respect for human rights. Holding their annual Kalbaryo ng Kawalan ng Katarungan (Calvary of the Absence of Justice), the group reflected on the Seven Last Words of Jesus Christ while recounting stories of loss, struggle, and the enduring search for accountability.

The gathering, which took place amid ongoing concerns about the state of human rights in the Philippines, included testimonies addressing both past and present administrations. Participants expressed that the arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) was, for many, “an answered prayer”—but emphasized that full justice remains elusive.

FIND Families Call for Critical Voting

In his reflection on the sixth of the Seven Last Words, FIND member Jimson Getanis urged Filipinos to make conscientious choices in the upcoming elections. “May all who have the responsibility to elect our next leaders be critical and make sure that we will no longer have any leaders who violate human rights,” he said.

FIND Chairperson Celia Sevilla also called on voters to reflect this Lenten season—not just spiritually, but politically. Speaking to ABS-CBN News, she said, “We should not elect executioners so we will no longer repeat the bloody experiences of the past, including in the previous administration and that has continued to the present.”

Support for ICC Trial

Attendees voiced their support for Duterte’s prosecution by the ICC, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity related to his administration’s violent war on drugs. Official government figures have acknowledged more than 6,000 deaths during anti-narcotics operations under his term.

Boyet Itucal, a participant at the event, defended the role of the international court: “The ICC is a fair court because it is not controlled by politicians. It cannot be controlled.”

Disappearances Persist Under Marcos Jr.

According to FIND, enforced disappearances continue even under the current administration. Cecille Baello, whose partner disappeared in 2023, reported that the organization has documented 45 cases of enforced disappearance since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office. “Most of these cases are of activists and human rights defenders,” she said.

As Lent calls for introspection and renewal, FIND’s members continue to remind the public—and those in power—that the road to justice is long, but far from over.

Image: Desaparecidos (Pamilya ng Desaparecidos para sa Katarungan/Facebook